CONSUMERS TURN TO INTERNET
FOR INFORMATION AS
REPLACEMENT EFFORT ACCELERATES
NASHVILLE, Aug. 23, 2000
– Another estimated 100,000
recalled tires were replaced Monday and Tuesday, bringing the
total to about 660,000 as the first air shipment of replacement
tires arrives today from Bridgestone Corporation manufacturing
plants in Japan. The speed of the recall continues to accelerate
with Bridgestone/Firestone and other tire makers ramping up
production of replacement tires and consumers turning to the
Internet for retail locations, reimbursement forms and lists
of approved replacement tires.
Bridgestone/Firestone's Web sites --
www.firestone.com and www.firestonetire.com --
have hosted up to 100 times the normal number of visitors who
are selecting information from the Voluntary Safety Recall Information
Center. The forms for getting reimbursed for replacement tires
purchased at tire dealers other than Firestone Tire and Service
Centers and authorized Bridgestone/Firestone retailers can be
downloaded from the Center. Ford Motor Company's Web site (www.ford.com)
features the list of approved replacement tires manufactured
by Bridgestone/Firestone and other major tire manufacturers.
Competitive tire makers, such as Goodyear and Michelin, feature
information about the recall on their Web sites.
"The more information consumers
have, the quicker we will complete this recall so that our customers
can be assured of their safety," said Christine Karbowiak,
vice president of public affairs for Bridgestone/Firestone,
Inc. "The Internet's ability to share information quickly
with millions of consumers is a real plus in this recall effort."
Customer wait times on the company's
Web sites have steadily improved, with consumers currently waiting
less than 4 seconds for information.
The first air shipment of new replacement
tires from Japan left earlier today on a Thai Airways flight
from Japan and at least 10 more flights are planned before next
Monday. These shipments will continue nearly every day as long
as needed to assist consumers involved with the recall.
On August 9, Bridgestone/Firestone issued
a voluntary safety recall of all Firestone P235/75R15 Radial
ATX and Radial ATX II tires made in North America, and P235/75R15
Wilderness AT tires made at the Decatur, Ill., plant.
